


Plot Potatoes: Chernobyl

by MelvinL



Category: Chernobyl (TV 2019)
Genre: F/M, Gen, Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-15
Updated: 2019-10-02
Packaged: 2020-05-12 05:27:58
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 18,944
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19222534
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MelvinL/pseuds/MelvinL
Summary: so this will be a composite of some of my really shit Chernobyl(HBO) one-shots. they will most likely be very smutty so do not pass go if you are under 18. that is your only warning. Other than that, please enjoy my sleep deprived insomnia driven insanity.





	1. chapter one

Setting: Night, the Polissya hotel, Pripyat. Ulana Khomyuk has just settled in her room, a small overnight bag sitting on the coffee table beside her purse and a bottle of vodka.  
-  
Khomyuk stands at the window of her hotel room, lost in thought, staring at the open reactor not far away and the blueish glow of the ionized air above the reactor. She can feel her palms shaking a little as she leans on the windowsill. Khomyuk is nervous. She has no idea if coming here was the right thing to do. She knows that she has effectively thrown away the rest of her life by coming here. Khomyuk turns, still deep in thought and makes her way over to the sofa, grabbing the bottle of vodka and pouring herself a rather large glass. She quickly downs it, calming her nerves significantly. She then clicks on the TV and watches it quietly, drinking alone. So this is what my life has come to? She thinks as she begins drinking another glass of vodka. She sits there, a notebook in front of her. She had tried to run the numbers, tried to find out why the reactor exploded, but she couldn’t. All that remains on the page are crossed out numbers and little scribbles.  
As Khomyuk finishes off her third glass of vodka there is a knock on the door. She doesn’t hear it at first, looking toward the door in a half-drunk daze, wondering if someone actually knocked. There is a second knock, and Khomyuk stands up, making her way to the door. Standing just outside, with a cigarette in his mouth, is none other than Valery Legasov.  
“Good evening comrade Khomyuk” Legasov says, looking down at her as he removes the cigarette from between his lips.  
“Good evening comrade Legasov, can I help you?” Khomyuk mumbles, leaning against the doorframe.  
The scent of alcohol seeps off Khomyuk and it is apparent that she has had a few drinks.  
“I thought you might like to have a drink with me?” Legasov says as he holds up a bottle of vodka, “but I can see you’ve already had a few drinks…”  
Khomyuk shakes her head and retreats into the room “You can join me if you’d like comrade Legasov” she says, glancing at him over her shoulder.  
Khomyuk then sits down as Legasov enters the room, closing the door behind him. He sits down beside Khomyuk, pouring himself a glass of vodka. Khomyuk eyes him quietly for a moment.  
“We are very lucky that you came… that you enlightened us to the fact that the tanks are full” Legasov says, breaking the silence before taking a drink.  
Khomyuk laughs a little, swirling her drink, having nothing to say to Legasov. She quietly looks up at the TV, the news is on and spewing propaganda about the accident. Khomyuk then downs the rest of her drink. Legasov has started looking over the many failed calculations laid out on the table. Khomyuk stairs blankly at the TV, thinking about her life. She has regrets about coming to Chernobyl, about throwing away her life all because of her need to answer questions and solve problems. She has always been like this: give her a problem and she will find a solution.  
Legasov looks over at her “Thank you… for coming here Khomyuk” he says as he gently takes her hand  
“Theres no need to thank me Legasov…” Khomyuk mutters as she pours herself another drink.  
A moment of silence passes as Legasov finishes off his second drink. Khomyuk looks over at him and lays her head on his shoulder. Naturally, Legasov wraps his arm around her. In that very moment the rest of the world seems to disappear along with all their problems.  
Slowly, the two of them finish off the two bottles of vodka. Now considerably drunk, Legasov gets up.  
“I should probably be going…” He says absently.  
Khomyuk stands up and goes to walk him to the door. Somehow, they end up kissing awkwardly, and just as Legasov thought the moment had passed, Khomyuk is pulling at his tie. They make their way to the bed, articles of clothing scattering the floor. Now, Legasov is leaning over Khomyuk, his lips locked with hers as he undoes his pants and whips out his cock. Khomyuks arms are wrapped around him as he thrusts into her. He smiles as he hears her sigh with pleasure. They went on like this for hours, Khomyuk lay beneath Legasov, her cheeks flushed and her face glistening with a light sweat. Her low moans and sighs of pleasure seemed to fill the room, accompanied by Legasov’s subtle groaning moans.  
Neither of them got much sleep that night, but once morning came, Khomyuk lay sleeping peacefully, her head resting against Legasov’s bare chest. They had held each other close all night. Laying in his arms made Khomyuk forget about the rest of the world and all of its problems. Legasov made Khomyuk feel calm, he made her feel normal.  
Khomyuk wakes up to the sun just barely coming in through the window. She is exhausted and hung over, but she quietly gets out of bed and heads into the bathroom. She runs herself a hot shower and quietly hums classical music as she showers. About 30 minutes later, she turned off the water and stepped out of the shower, drying her hair a little with a towel before wrapping the towel around her body. She quietly walked out of the bathroom and jumped a little when she looked over to see Legasov standing half dressed at the foot of the bed.  
“Good Morning Ulana” Legasov says after a moment, having come to his senses as he took a drag on his cigarette.  
“Good Morning Valery” Khomyuk says as she pulls her clean clothes out of her bag.  
No more words are exchanged as the two of them get ready. Khomyuk sits on the edge of the bed and slowly gets dressed. While Legasov stands near the sofa, watching her as he buttons his shirt. Once they are both finished dressing, Khomyuk packs her things neatly into her bag and leaves it on the coffee table before grabbing her purse. Together they leave the hotel room.  
“Have a good day comrade Khomyuk” Legasov says before starting down the hall to his own room.  
“you too comrade Legasov” Khomyuk replies as she walks to the elevator.


	2. An Eternity with you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the meeting in December between Boris, Ulana and Valery, and the conference in Vienna, Ulana shows up to Valerys flat... she is there in a last attempt to convince him to tell the truth.

Valerys Apartment, Moscow  
-  
Ulana approached the building with a large file box in her arms. She could feel her hands shaking as her nerves got the better of her. She had not spoken to Valery since the meeting in December with Shcherbina and him. She had heard about his speech in Vienna, and that made her disappointment in him worsen exponentially. He had towed the party line, and now many more may lose their lives because of this.   
She approached the door, her heart pounding. Ulana bit her bottom lip as she set down the file box and knocked on the door. She picked the box back up as the door opened. Valery stood, staring at her, quite shocked.   
"May I come in?" Ulana says softly, her voice quivering.  
Valery nods and steps aside. She enters and looks around. As Valery closes the door, Ulana feels something soft brush up against her leg. She looks down to see a beautiful tabby cat. Ulana places her file box on a nearby chair and bends down, beginning to pet the small animal. As Valery turns back after locking the door, he smiles a little, feeling his heart begin to ache as he watches Ulana. She has a radiant smile on her face as she pets his cat.   
"Her name is Sasha" Valery says softly, looking down at Ulana.  
Ulana smiles a little and begins to coo at Sasha, who has quickly taken a liking to Ulana. Valery feels the sudden urge to sit down on the floor beside Ulana and pull her into his lap, but he suppresses it. Just watching her is enough to make his heart ache. Just being in her presence is enough for him.   
A few moments pass and Ulana stands up, collecting her file box. She looks over at Valery, not knowing where to sit. He leads her to his small dining table. Ulana sits down, keeping the box in her lap. They sit in an awkward silence for a few moments, neither knowing what to say.  
"So, did you take the train?" Valery says after clearing his throat.   
Ulana nods and begins to open the file box.  
"Yes, I took a train, now let's talk about Vienna" she says, not taking her eyes off of him.  
Valery rolls his eyes, expecting to be reprimanded.  
"I haven't come to scold you. I know how the world works. I'm a realist,no matter what Shcherbina thinks" Ulana says, with a slight huff of frustration.  
"Then why are you here?" Valery mumbles, quickly losing interest in the conversation.  
The conversation that follows is fairly frustrating, for Ulana is extremely stubborn and will not give up without a fight.  
"Why?" Legasov says, looking at her, his heart sinking, he anticipates what she will say.  
" Because you're Legasov. And you mean something. I'd like to think if I spoke out, it would be enough" Ulana says, a bitter look crossing her face, "But as I said, I know how the world works"  
There is a pause, tension in the air. It is obvious that Valery does not share her passion for the truth.  
"They will shoot me Khomyuk" Valery says selfishly.   
Ulana sighs, the use of her last name stinging like disinfectant on an open wound. She has one last shot at convincing him. She begins pulling the notebooks out of her file box.  
"You told me to find out what happened. I talked to dozens of people. Every word they said, I wrote down" Ulana says as she separates the books into two piles.  
She gestures to the pile with two books. "These are the people who are still alive"  
She pauses before gesturing to the pile with twelve books. "These are the ones who are dead. They died rescuing each other. Putting out fires. Tending to the wounded. They didn't hesitate. They didn't waver. They simply did what had to be done" Ulana says, feeling her eyes start to water at the memory of the men and the state they were in when they died.  
"So have I. I went willingly to an open reactor. I've also given my life. Is that not enough?" Valery says, seeing the disappointment in her eyes as he speaks, causing his heart to ache   
"I'm sorry, but it is not" Ulana says as she begins gathering her books.   
Sasha suddenly jumps into Ulanas lap, knocking the file box to the ground. Ulana looks down at her with a solemn look. She sighs before gently stroking the cat. Valery watches her for a moment, feeling tears come to his eyes.  
"I am sorry Ulana. I never meant to disappoint you" he whispers, resting his head in his hands.  
Ulana looks up at him, the sight of him so upset breaks her heart. She reaches out and places her hand on his knee. Valery looks up at her tears rolling down his cheeks.  
"Why didn't you tell me?" Ulana whispers, referring to the Volkov paper.  
Valery looks at her, at a loss for words. He is drowning in her vibrant blue eyes.  
"I-I needed to keep you safe. I needed to keep you away from Chernobyl" Valery whispers, his voice choked.  
Ulana bites her lip and looks over Valerys face. A few moments pass and she cannot find the words to reply.  
"I love you Ulana" Valery whispers, taking her hand.  
"I love you too, Valery" Ulana replies as he pulls her into a hug, dumping Sasha from her lap.  
He can feel her soft hair again his cheek as she climbs into his lap, wrapping his arms around her. He presses his nose against the crook of her neck, taking in her sweet scent. He can feel her leaning into him and holding onto him tightly. They sit like that for a few moments before Valery leans back a little.   
"Would you like to stay a while?" He says softly, gently running his fingers through her graying hair.   
Ulana smiles a little, wiping the tears from her eyes.   
"I would like to…" She says softly as she stairs into his eyes.  
With much effort, Valery carries her over to his sofa. They sit side by side, his arm wrapped around her as she lays her head against his shoulder. The TV is on, playing nothing very interesting. Ulana wraps her arms around him as she bends her legs to get more comfortable.  
She nuzzles her head against his shoulder, looking up at him.   
"I could stay here forever" she whispers, a blissful smile on her face.  
Valery looks down at her, gently running his fingers through her hair.  
"Then stay" He says, nuzzling her forehead with his nose.  
Ulana looks up and presses her lips against his.  
"I think I will…" she says softly, holding him in her arms as she lays her head back on his shoulder.   
They watch stare past the TV and out the window as the sun begins to set. Sasha has settled down in Valerys lap and Ulana is half asleep as she cuddles Valery. Valery watched as the setting sun sent an orange glow into the room as he stroked Sasha. He looked down at Ulana as she rested peacefully and in that very moment he was content. He could have remained there for all eternity with her.   
As it begins to get dark out Valery gently rouses Ulana.  
"Lana" he whispers, prodding her gently.  
"Hmmm" she groans, opening her eyes a little to look up at him.  
Her eyes are foggy and clouded with sleep. The sight of her so drowsy puts a small smile on Valery's face.  
"Why don't we move to my bed? You will be more comfortable there" Valery says softly, gently pushing her hair off her face.  
"I haven't anything to wear…" Ulana mumbles sleepily, laying her head back against his shoulder.  
"I am sure I can find something that will suit you" Valery says as he picks her up off the couch.   
Despite his weakened state, he manages to carry her to his bedroom. He places her gently on the bed. She sits up drowsily, beginning to remove her jacket. Valery quietly begins rooting through his drawers, finding an old and oversized button down. It is a creme color and rather silky feeling. He looks over at Ulana, his eyes wandering down her rather slim figure.  
"This should suit you" he says softly, handing her the shirt.  
She takes it with a slight smile. Valery quietly gathers his own pajamas. When he turns back to her she is in nothing but her bra and underwear, and she is slowly rolling down her stockings. Valery watches for a moment, looking at her soft legs. He smiles a little before getting undressed and putting on his shirt and pajama pants. When he turns back to Ulana, she is stacking her folded clothes on her dresser, placing her bra on top of them. She turns back to him, now wearing only the oversized button down and her underwear. The buttondown hangs loosely over her body, but it does not conceal much.   
Ulana smiles drowsily as she climbs into the small bed. Valery sits down on the bed and lays down beside her. Ulana rolls onto her side and lays her head on his chest, wrapping her arm around him. She looks up at him, a blissful smile on her face as she wraps one of her soft legs over his. Valery smiles and wraps his arm around her, his hand resting on her hip. She is extremely warm and snuggly. He plants a soft kiss on her forehead, taking in her sweet and comforting scent. He could spend a lifetime there, with her in his arms.  
"Sweet dreams Lana" He whispers as he turns out the light.


	3. The Fire Extinguished

February 1988  
Valery’s Apartment, Moscow  
-  
It was a cold and dreary day. The sky was a light grey, and a flurry of snow fell over Moscow. Valery was sat on his sofa, wrapped in a thick wool blanket. Sasha, his cat, dozed peacefully in his lap while he slowly read through an old novel. A gentle knock on the door made Valery jump. Valery gently removed Sasha from his lap and placed his novel on the coffee table before making his way to the door. Upon opening the door, Valery felt his lips part and his eyes widen. His heart instantly began to ache as he laid his eyes upon Ulana. She looked rather sickly and thin. Her once well-fitting coat seemed to hang from her boney shoulders. Her skin appeared to be papery, and despite her paleness, her cheeks were flushed. She looked as though the life was being sucked out of her, Ulana looked up at him with tired and sunken in eyes.  
“May I come in?” she said, her voice quiet and weak.  
Valery nodded and stepped aside. He could see her trembling slightly as she walked into the apartment. Silently, Ulana removed her thick coat and her hat, revealing her frail body and her thin greying hair.   
“Lana…” Valery whispers as he looks at her, tears coming to his eyes at the very sight of her.  
“I-I have leukemia, Valery…” She says softly, her voice raspy and weak, tears streaming down her cheeks as she wraps her arms around him.  
She did not need to explain, for he knew this meant she was dying. Valery presses his nose to the top of her head, taking a deep breath. The sweet scent of her silky hair brings tears to his eyes. He holds onto her tightly, feeling as though she would disappear as they part.   
Ulana nuzzles her cheek against Valery’s chest, tears streaming down her cheeks. She is overwhelmed with emotions, but her tears are not tears of sadness. She is overwhelmed with joy at the very thought of being in his embrace. They stand there for what seems like hours before parting.   
“Why have you come here?” Valery whispers, fearing for her safety.  
“My final wish was to see you again…” Ulana mumbles, tears welling in her eyes.  
She pauses and swallows the sob building within her.  
“I have thought about you every day…” Ulana begins as she looks up at him.  
She is silenced by the long and soft kiss that Valery places on her lips.  
“How long do we have?” Valery whispers, his face only centimeters from hers.  
“Not long enough” Ulana replies, her eyes watering.  
Valery sniffles and bites his lip for a moment, choking back a sob as he wraps his arms around her once again. He can feel how frail she truly is, and it makes him feel as though his heart has shattered.   
“I do not want to spend a second without you…” Valery whispers as he looks into her eyes.  
Ulana’s lips curve slightly into a weak smile as she looks up at him. Her hand wanders up to his cheek, caressing it gently.  
“Then I will not leave your side…” Ulana mumbled, lost in Valery’s eyes.  
Slowly, they make their way over to the sofa. Valery sits back down in his usual place. Instead of sitting beside him, Ulana sits down across his lap. Her legs propped up on the sofa as she lays her head against his shoulder. She stifles a cough as she nuzzles her cheek against Valery’s chest. Valery cannot help but smile as he wraps the wool blanket around them. He holds her against him quietly, leaning his cheek against her head.   
“I love you more than you could ever imagine” He whispers, tightening her hold on her.  
Ulana smiles and looks up at him as she cuddles against him.  
“And I love you a million times more than that” She mumbles, the traces of a smile crossing her lips.  
Valery cannot help but sob, tears coming to his eyes as he presses his forehead to hers. He can hear her faint and raspy breathing as he looks into her eyes. Ulana reaches up and places her thin and dainty hand on his cheek. Valery closes his eyes, unable to keep the tears from streaming down his cheeks. The sight of him crying brings tears to Ulana’s eyes. She leans in and kisses him softly.  
“Please don’t cry. It breaks my heart” Ulana whispers, wrapping her arms around him and holding him tightly.  
She presses her nose into the crook of his neck as she feels his arms tighten around her.   
“I-I always thought that I would be the first to go…” Valery admits, his voice shaking.  
Ulana manages to calm him down after a while. They sit in silence, held tightly in each other’s arms. Valery’s cat, Sasha, climbs into Ulana’s lap, settling down on her stomach, bringing a smile to Ulana’s face. Ulana gently strokes the cat as she snuggles up to Valery, laying her head against his chest. They watch as heavy snow begins to fall, beginning to talk. They talked for hours about silly and irrelevant things. Valery held her close, never wanting to move from that spot. They watched, engulfed in trivial conversation, as the sky began to darken. Ulana readjusted in his lap and looked up at Valery.  
She opened her mouth to speak, but he beat her to it.  
“shall we go get ready for bed?” He says softly, his lips curling in a slight smile.  
Ulana nods and gently evicts Sasha from her place on Ulana’s stomach. Ulana sits up and pauses for a moment before standing up. She stood and stretched her dainty arms up over her head as Valery got up beside her. In silence, Ulana gathers the small travel bag she had brought with her and follows Valery to his room. She placed her bag on his dresser and proceeded to pull out a slightly hideous nightgown. It was something one would picture their grandmother wearing. Valery chuckles a little at the sight of it.   
“Oh, hush” Ulana says, kissing him softly before walking down the hall to the bathroom.   
While she is in there, Valery silently changes into his own pajamas. Though he did not realize it, that day Valery had started believing in God. All day, he had been begging any higher power for her life. Though he could not admit it, he had started believing in heaven. He had never really believed in an afterlife, but the very thought of losing the woman he loves has changed that. Valery knows that he must see her again somehow. In another lifetime perhaps they could spend their lives together and have a family. Ulana’s footsteps made him jump a little as she entered the room. He had been lost in thought. Thinking about the life that could have been theirs. Ulana approaches him and sees the tears in his eyes. She quietly climbs into his lap, placing one of her hands on his cheek.  
“Are you alright Valera?” She whispers, caressing his cheek gently.   
“I am, now that you are here,” Valery says, pulling her into a rather tight hug.  
A radiant smile crosses Ulana’s face as she looks into Valery’s eyes, and for a moment, everything seems fine, as though neither of them was sick. Her smile melts Valery’s heart, making him smile as well. A few moments pass as Ulana rests her head against his shoulder, and they sit in almost serene silence. Valery lays back on the small bed, leaving barely enough room for her. Ulana shakes her head and climbs onto the bed, laying on her stomach on top of Valery. Her head rests on his chest, just below and his collar bone. A faint smile crosses her lips as she listens to the faint sound of his heart beating. Valery wrapped his arms around her, adjusting the blankets as they got comfortable. He could not recall when he had last shared his bed with a woman, but he was glad to be sharing it with Ulana, especially now, for he had been growing exceptionally lonely.   
A few weeks pass, Ulana’s condition deteriorates rather quickly. She has almost completely stopped eating, and she had slowly gotten a fever. It was late one night; light snow had fallen that evening and the house was rather cold. Valery was sitting on the sofa reading, Ulana was positioned in his lap. She had fallen asleep a few hours earlier, but it was obvious she did not have much life left in her. She had spent the day talking with Valery, cuddling him on the sofa. They had talked about their lives in great detail. Valery had greatly enjoyed hearing about her life, savoring every little detail. He would have roused her and taken her to bed, but he did not have the heart to rouse her. She was breathing weakly, each breath seemed shallower than the last, and Valery knew he would be unable to sleep, not with her in such a state. So, he held her in his arms, and Sasha had settled herself in Ulana’s lap. Ulana’s head rested gently on the left side of Valery's chest. She had fallen asleep listening to the pulsing of Valery’s heart. Tears welled in Valery’s eyes as her breathing became raspy, and in the early hours of the morning, she finally drew one last raspy breath before falling silent. Valery felt tears rolling down his cheeks as he let out a soft sob. He pressed his running nose to the top of her head and planted a soft kiss on her forehead.   
“Goodbye, my love… I will see you again, someday” He whispered.  
He held her in his arms until the warmth began to leave her body, crying softly as he nuzzled his cheek against her head. His heart ached for her and only her. She was the one thing he had craved all of those lonely days, cooped up in his apartment. She had been the only light left in his life, and now, her fire had been extinguished, leaving Valery trapped in the dark.


	4. Coda to A Fire Extinguished: The World without colour

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> this is a short piece about the months following Ulana's death...

It had been a few hours since Ulana’s body had been taken away. Valery sat on his sofa, tears still rolling down his cheeks every few minutes. Sasha laid quietly in Valery’s lap, attempting to comfort him. It was around 10 am when there was a knock on the door. Valery looked up, sniffling a little. He made his way to the door in his own time. Upon opening the door, Valery’s eyes widened a little. Standing just outside was Boris. He looked rather frail compared to the once intimidating and barrel-chested man he had met in 1986. There were no words exchanged at first. Boris stepped inside, for he did not need an invitation. He wrapped his arms around Valery, who began to sob as he pushed the door closed behind Boris. Boris stood, gently rubbing Valery’s back as Valery pressed his cheek against Boris’ chest, sobbing profusely. He could hear the extent of Boris’ raspy breathing. A few moments passed before they pulled apart.  
“Have you eaten today?” Boris said as he looked down at Valery.  
Valery shook his head, for he had hardly eaten in the past few days. Boris sighed and looked down at the grieving man, looking into his bloodshot and slightly sunken eyes. Valery looked an absolute mess. Boris shook his head before wandering into Valery’s kitchen and pulling together something to be considered food with what little the scientist had. Valery sat quietly at the table and picked at what Boris had prepared. Boris sat across from him, watching him.  
“Do not make me feed you Valera” Boris said, his voice cracking and raspy.  
Boris could not stand to see Valery in this state, it made his heartache. Valery could not help but smile a little. He managed to eat most of his food and drink a glass of water before returning to his spot on the sofa. Valery held one of Ulana’s silk scarfs in his hands, running the soft fabric through his fingers. Boris came and sat beside him after cleaning up a little. Valery was back to sobbing softly. Boris gently pulled Valery into a hug and Valery laid his head in Boris’ lap. Boris gently rubbed Valery’s shoulder, doing his best to comfort him. About an hour later, Valery had fallen asleep, Ulana’s scarf clutched to his chest, and his head resting in Boris’ lap. Boris sat there silently, only the sound of his raspy breathing filling the room. Valery’s cat had hopped up onto the sofa beside him. Boris could feel tears come to his eyes as he stroked Sasha, staring out the window. Ulana was really gone. He had not anticipated missing her this much. He had hated the influence she had on Valery. He really hadn’t liked her much at all, but it was odd, knowing he would never see the arrogant and stubborn scientist again.  
A few days passed, and Valery and Boris traveled by train to Minsk. This was the day that they would bury their friend. They rode in silence most of the way, and it was obvious that Valery was holding back tears. Boris had held Valery’s hand the entire train ride. When they arrived at the funeral home, a few people were there. They were colleagues of Ulana’s, and Valery recognized a few of them. Dimitri was stood by Ulana’s casket, his eyes bloodshot and his nose raw and runny. He wore a black suit and looked like a lost puppy. Slowly, Valery approached the dark wooden casket, tears welling in his eyes. Boris trailed behind him, feeling rather uneasy. Ulana was laid in the casket, her dark hair curled and splayed around her head. Her skin was pale and cold, and not even the slightest lipstick could bring the proper color back to her pale lips. She still appeared thin and sickly. They had dressed her in a dark navy dress with simple jewelry. Valery leaned down and kissed her cold and stiff cheek, whispering a few sweet nothings into her ear. A tear dripped down his cheek and fell onto Ulana’s cheek. Valery wiped it away before turning away from the casket. Boris was standing a few feet from Valery, not wanting to approach the casket, for he did not want to cry. He wrapped his arms around Valery, comforting him quietly. It did not take long for Valery to calm down. They stood for a few moments in that solemn embrace. The reality had set in, and this was the last time Boris and Valery would see her.  
Only a few people showed up to the cemetery for her burial. A few words were said before her casket was lowered into the ground. Valery could feel tears rolling down his cheeks as he watched her beautiful casket being covered with soil. Once they had finished burying her, Valery placed a few flowers on her grave.  
“Goodbye Lana” He whispered as he ran his hand along the top of her marble headstone.  
A few weeks passed and Boris did his best to visit Valery often, always worried sick about Valery’s health. Valery had helped Dimitri clean out Ulana’s apartment, keeping a few of her personal effects. He had fallen into a depressed state, and no matter what Boris did, he could not save Valery from the mental darkness that trapped him.   
It was on April 26th that everything became too much for Valery. He had finished the tapes that would serve as his suicide note. He had hidden away his tapes and left out food for Sasha, and with tears in his eyes, he hanged himself, finally freeing him from the darkness. It seemed as though he had only closed his eyes for a few seconds before Ulana’s voice roused him. He smiled as he saw her, but the first thing she did was give him a light smack on the face.  
“You idiot…” She mumbles, shaking her head with tears in her eyes, a solemn smile o her face.  
Valery gaped at her, his spirit leaving his still warm body.  
“Boris still needed you…” Ulana mutters as she hugs Valery.   
Both of them look young and healthy. They share a long embrace before Valery pulls away.  
“He is strong, I know he can handle this” Valery says, but he is lacking in confidence.  
He had not considered the long-term effect on Boris, and now regret began building within him.  
Valery was only half right. Boris managed to get through Valery’s death by consuming copious amounts of alcohol. He often visited Valery’s grave to say a few words to him. Valery had been one of the few people Boris had held close to his heart, and now, he was gone. Boris could feel that familiar darkness closing in on him, for without Valery the color seemed to drain from his world.


	5. Hanging in the Balance

The shattering of a glass makes Dimitri jump. It was Ulana, she had stood up from her desk.  
It had been months since she had seen Valery. And even now, he did not know, for she had concealed it well. She was around seven months pregnant. Her stomach protruded from her tiny frame. It looked as though she had an alien growing within her. The rest of her thin body looked fairly normal.  
Her lips had parted and a low groan escaped as her shaking hand clasped to her belly. Dimitri stood up, alarmed.  
"Are you alright? What is going on?" He says, his eyes wide with worry.  
"It is nothing…" she mumbles, beginning to bend down to pick up the shattered glass.   
Dimitri gently ushers her into a chair. "Sit, I will clean it up, Khomyuk" he says, getting a broom and dustpan.  
He cleans up the shards of glass while keeping a close eye on Ulana. She sits in her chair, her jaw clenched, her hand gingerly holding her swollen stomach.  
After a few moments, Ulana begins to relax, leaning back a little in her chair. She spins slightly from side to side in her chair, staring out the window, wondering if things would have been different if she had told Valery. She began to wonder if he would have even wanted the child. She had even considered ridding herself of the child. Ulana had considered herself far too old to carry through with a pregnancy, but when the time came, she could not bring herself to abort it. She had suffered through the protest of her body and the pain that came with pregnancy at her age. All this because she could not bring herself to terminate the pregnancy.   
"What was that?" Dimitri says, leaning against her desk now, interrupting Ulana's thoughts.   
"I-I do not know" Ulana mumbles, not looking at him.  
But she very well knows what that was. There was no doubt in her mind that was a contraction. Ulana brushed it off as just a false alarm, knowing she still had about 8 weeks left. She sighed and returned to work, reading reports and doing paperwork. A few uneventful hours pass, Ulana is exhausted, for she had spent the night at work as per her usual routine. She had gotten up to stretch and use the toilet. As she walked down the hall to the ladies' room she could feel something warm and sticky between her legs. A state of nervousness set in, and her heart began to race. It suddenly felt as though someone were crushing her throat. Once in the bathroom, Ulana pulled up her dress a little and ran her hand up between her legs. She felt as though her heart stopped and sank into her stomach as she held up her hand. A crimson coating of congealing blood coated her fingers. The sight of her own blood made her nauseous, especially since it was seeping from her. Ulana made her way back to the lab and gathered her things, and left without saying a word to Dimitri. Ulana was in tears as she arrived at the hospital, blood seeping down her leg. Her vision had become blurry and it seemed as though everything was getting dark. Ulana collapsed in the lobby of the hospital, a soft thud hanging in the air as she hits the ground. Nurses rush over to her surrounding Ulana as she tries to get up, bombarding her with questions that Ulana cannot comprehend in her slightly incapacitated state. She is rushed into a hotel room and examined. The color is quickly fading from her skin. The nurses are scrambling to identify her, and asking about the babies father. But Ulana is not conscious enough to respond.  
She is rushed back for a cesarean section, all alone, with no one there to support her. They are forced to put her under in order to operate. They work quickly doing their best to stop the hemorrhaging and save Ulanas life, which is now hanging in the balance.   
Back in Moscow, Valery knows nothing of the baby or the threat to Ulana's life...


	6. Hit and Run

Moscow, afternoon  
It was a grey and wet afternoon. The rain had temporarily ceased, but the ground was still soaked. Cars sped down the streets as workers returned to their jobs from lunch. Boris and Ulana had met to discuss the upcoming trial. Though their views were conflicting, they had decided to discuss the trial and their influence on Valery. They had exited the small coffee shop where they had met. Making rather awkward small talk as they began to cross the street. The air between them was tense. They were not even half way across the street before the there was the sound of a loud impact. A car had driven right through them, hitting Ulana first, then Boris. A few other pedestrians who had been near them were also injured. Ulana had been sent tumbling over the windshield. Her body flying through the air before making hard contact with the pavement. Boris was hit and pushed infront of the car. He had been slightly behind Ulana. When the car hit his broad body, he rolled onto the hood before sliding off and landing with a thud on the pavement. It took a moment before Boris came to his senses. He turned his head to look at Ulana who was laying about 15 feet away. Though his vision was blurry, he could see blood pooling around her limp and mangled figure. Upon looking down at himself, Boris could see blood swirling withing the rain water, staining his dark grey suit. Somehow, he managed to sit up, looking back at her as his vision cleared, his heart sank. Though he was not very fond of Ulana, he did not wish this upon her.  
A crowd of people began to gather around her as someone rushed from a nearby shop to help. Though he hardly noticed it, a small crowd had begun to gather around him as well. A young woman was dabbing at his cuts and attempting help him.   
When an ambulance finally arrived, Boris was able to climb on on his own, despite his many injuries, he was stubborn and bull headed. He watched as the paramedics pushed Ulanas left tibia back into her leg and set a few of her broken bones after stabilizing her neck and spine. They then loaded her limp body onto a stretcher and into the ambulance. Boris could not keep his eyes off of the horrific sight that was Ulana. In his head the minutes that it took to get to a hospital seemed to turn into hours. Boris was beginning to succumb to his injuries, riddled with pain and struggling to stay conscious. Though he was determined to stay conscious, he could not keep himself from passing out. He awoke in a bland hospital room, a screen blocking his view of the other bed. Upon looking around, Boris noticed his morphine drip and IV, as well as the splint on his leg. He could see a few of his deeper cuts had been stitched. They had put him in a hospital gown, making him feel rather exposed. Though it pained him greatly, Boris managed to get out of the hospital bed. He limped over to the screen that shielded the other bed and pulled it back. Ulana was laying in the bed, hooked up to many machines. Many of her cuts were stitched and a few select places, where chunks of her flesh had been pulled away from tumbling over the pavement, were wrapped in gauze. Boris left the screen open as he got back into his bed, passing out once more. It was late that evening that Valery was notified about the state of his comrades. Of course, he rushed to the hospital, his socks two different colors and his hair a mess. Upon entering the room, he saw Boris. It was the worst sight he had seen. He approached the bed, his mouth dry and tears in his eyes. Though boris did not have too many cuts, he was covered in swollen and purple bruises. It was not until he went to take Boris' hand that he saw Ulana. Valery stopped dead in his tracks at the sight of her. If he thought Boris' injuries were horrible, Ulanas were horrifyingly worse. Valery sat down in a chair between the two beds upon coming to his senses. It felt as if someone had turned his world upside down. Without them, he could see nothing but darkness, and it never seemed to end.


	7. Hanging in the Balance Continued

By the time the news of Ulana's condition reaches Valery, she is already out of surgery and in the ICU. Of course, the news was relayed to him by Dimitri, who is sitting at Ulana's bedside. Her outlook is grim, for she lost a significant amount of blood and is now barely clinging to life. Upon hearing the news, Valery rushed to Minsk, knowing only that Ulana was in the hospital in critical condition. He knew nothing of the baby that awaited him or the pregnancy that Ulana endured. Frantically, Valery boarded a train and headed straight to Minsk. He was sat beside a very kind woman from Germany. She was a doctor who had just returned from studying in the west. The KGB had gratefully allowed her to go learn from westerners in order to help treat some career party man. Her name was Petra Wolff. She was very thin and small. Her figure was not very curvy. Her jawline was strong and her chin was rather pointy. She had soft caramel coloured eyes. She was very kind, except for when Valery frantically lit a cigarette, trying to soothe his nerves. She took the cigarette and stubbed it out on her own collarbone.  
"That is horrible for you" she growled, her thick German accent making her sound quite harsh.   
"I have been through more than you can imagine, another smoke will not affect my life much" Valery replied.   
Petra shot him an icy look before tossing the cigarette in the ashtray and quietly picking up one of her books. Valery could not help but look at the place on her collarbone where she had extinguished his cigarette. There was scar tissue beneath the new burn. It was from where she had been burned repeatedly before. Valery looked at her but thought it best not to ask, not wanting to agitate her further.  
"I'm sorry… I have just found out my friend is in the hospital" Valery mumbled as he fidgets with a pen.  
Petra looks up at him and sighs. They chat quietly for the rest of the train ride, Petra doing her best to distract Valery from his thoughts.  
Upon his arrival in Minsk, Valery hurried to the hospital, not realizing that the woman he had met on the train was also headed there. It seemed to take hours to find Ulana's room. When he entered, he felt his knees become weak and his eyes begin to water. Ulana was laying in a hospital bed, her skin almost as white as the sheets covering her. Slowly, he walked to her side and placed his hand on top of her cheek. She was cold to the touch, which horrified him. He sat down on the edge of her bed and gently took her hand.  
"What happened?" Valery asks, looking at Dimitri.  
"I-I don't know..." Dimitri mumbles, looking at the floor.   
Valery sighs and looks at the doorway where a young nurse is standing and staring at them. When Valery makes eye contact with her, she awkwardly steps into the room.   
"What happened to her?" Valery asks softly, looking at the young nurse desperately.   
"She had a complication with her pregnancy called Placenta Previa," she says softly, "it caused her to haemorrhage badly and lose a significant amount of blood. They performed a cesarean section in an attempt to resolve the issue. This helped resolve the bleeding, and now we must wait for her to wake up"   
Valery sits in silence, his eyes on Ulana now. He had not known about her pregnancy. Why hasn't she told him? Didn't he deserve to know about their baby? He slowly looked Ulana over before looking back at the nurse.   
"What about the baby?" he asks softly.  
"She is in the NICU and we are monitoring her closely," the nurse says softly.  
Valery feels his heart lurch. He did not want to leave Ulana, but he desperately wanted to see the baby.  
"C-can I see her?" He asked softly, his voice croaking.  
"Are you the father?" The nurse asks, tilting her head at him.   
Valery glances at Dimitri who nods. Valery feels his heart begin to ache, he was a father. Ulana was the mother of his child. The very thought of them having a family caused his heart to ache from the many emotions that flooded his system. He sat for a moment, overloaded with emotions, and his brain clouded with so many thoughts that they became jumbled. It took him a moment to realize that he had gotten up and was following the nurse to the NICU.   
As he entered the room, Valery was lead to one of the incubators, containing a frail-looking baby girl. A doctor was leaning over and examining the baby. Upon further inspection, Valery realized that it was the woman from the train, Petra. She scribbled down something on the medical file before turning to face them.   
"She appears to be getting better. She has a rough road ahead, but she is strong and should do well" she says, smiling at Valery a little, "we can always move the baby into moms room if you decide"  
There is a moment of silence before Petra leaves, leaving Valery and the nurse in awkward silence. Valery looks down at the tiny baby in awe.   
"Can I touch her?" He asks softly, glancing at the nurse.  
The nurse nods and Valery gently caresses the baby's cheek with his finger. She is so delicate, like a small porcelain doll. Valery felt a tear roll down his cheek as he looked down at his daughter.   
"Your mother and I will have to pick a name for you hmmm?" He whispers, a radiant smile crossing his face.   
Valery spent hours with the baby before returning to Ulana's room, not quite able to grasp the idea that he had a daughter. When he returned to Ulana's room, he found her lying awake.   
"Our daughter is beautiful…" he whispers as he sits down on the edge of the bed.   
Ulana sniffled and looked up at him.  
"Is she… normal?" She asks wearily.  
Valery nods and wraps his arms around Ulana tightly.   
"You should have told me. I would have loved to be at your side through this Lana…" Valery whispers as they cuddle.  
They spend many hours talking about pregnancy and making plans for their new family. Both of them admitted that they dreamed to grow old together and possibly have another child and move into a beautiful house in a small village in the countryside. Whether these plans would become concrete remained a mystery to them for the time being.


	8. An Enemy of the State

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is an EXTREMELY dark and NSFW chapter. So read at your own risk.

The sound of her footsteps carried through the stairs as she approached Valery’s apartment. It seemed to take ages to walk up the many flights of stairs. As she reached the right floor a man came into the stairwell and confronted her. 

“Where do you think you are going,” he says, making Ulana stop dead in her tracks.

It was obvious that he was a KGB agent, and before she knew it, he was escorting her out of the building and into a car. It was obvious to Ulana that she had just been arrested.

They tossed her into a prison cell, where she sat for what must have been hours. The sounds of caged men: junkies, drunks, lunatics, and enemies of the state surrounded her. Occasionally, a scream of someone in pain broke through them all. Ulana stared at the peeling walls, wondering which category she fell into. 

Eventually, her cell door opened and she was roughly escorted out to a larger room. Sitting within the room was none other than the KGB’s chairman, Charkov. He smiled sadistically at Ulana.

“Sounds like you have, once again, wandered to a place you do not belong, comrade Khomyuk,” he says in an extremely cold and silky voice.

His words sent chills down Ulana’s spine. The KGB agents tied her to the bed. She was to be treated as an enemy of the state. Charkov looked at the smoldering cigarette that rested between his fingers and a wicked grin crossed his lips. He pressed the cigarette to Ulana’s chest, burning her and causing her to whimper.

“Oh dear, this is far from the worst thing you will experience…” he laughs as he drops the cigarette butt and smashed it with his foot.

A rather large and burly man entered with a duffle bag, and Ulana could hardly imagine what was inside. 

They started by whipping her, leaving lacerations on her stomach, chest, back, and butt. They then proceeded to burn her with red hot metal. They ripped out her hair and did unspeakable things to her. It only got worse from there, for Ulana s screaming only became more hoarse and agonizing. By the end, she had tears streaming down her cheeks and her entire body ached, for it was covered in cuts, lacerations, and burns of all kinds. They had given her pills that caused her to get extremely sick, so besides being covered in blood, sweat, and tears, she was covered in vomit as well. They had taken a bucket of ice water and rinsed her off before proceeding to rub salt and other things onto her wounds. They had broken a few of her fingers and one of the bones in her arm pushed out painfully through the skin. They had also crushed the bone in one of her legs. Afterward, they cleaned Ulana up a bit, painfully pushing her arm bone back into place before leaving her to Charkov. He smiled at her sadistically and proceeded to touch her breasts, squeezing them hard before pulling at her nipples, causing her to shriek as his nails dug into them. The sexual assault went on for a while, but Ulana did not truly break until Charkov whipped out his disgusting cock and proceeded to rape her. By the end, Ulana was begging and wailing for him to stop, her voice hoarse. She sobbed as he came inside of her, making her feel revolted and even more disgusting. Ulana had tears streaming down her face as she glared at Charkov.

“You’re disgusting” she muttered, her whole body trembling. 

“All I am hearing is that you want more, comrade Khomyuk,” Charkov said calmly, a sadistic glint in his eyes. 

Ulana wrinkled her nose and spit in Charkov’s face, causing him to grab her nipple and dig his nails and pull on it extremely hard. This caused Ulana to scream.

“You’ll want to behave, comrade. You are in my jurisdiction after all” Charkov growled before exiting the cell. 

Ulana was left to wallow in her blood and sweat for what seemed like days before a stone-faced nurse was sent in. she said only a few words to Ulana as she set her bones and bandaged her cuts. She had been sent by Charkov so that they could keep Ulana alive. Ulana lais back as the nurse leaned in.

“Rollover if you can, I’ve brought you some clean sheets and some clothes” She whispered as she pulled them out of the bottom of her medical bag. It was obvious that she had snuck them in to give to Ulana. 

The nurse silently changed Ulana’s sheets and pulled a hospital gown over her. After the kind nurse left, Ulana curled up in the damp bed. She spent days without any food and minimal water before Charkov returned to visit her. He entered silently, a sadistic look in his eyes. 

“Hello Khomyuk, I am glad to see you have healed a bit,” He says, sitting on the edge of her bed. 

Ulana looks up at him, pure rage in her eyes. Charkov sits down and traces his finger over her stomach. Ulana grabs at his wrist, but she is too weak and dehydrated to keep a good grip on him. Charkov then takes her wrists and presses her to the bed, pulling open her hospital gown. He proceeds to suck on the soft tissue of Ulana’s breasts. Chewing the tissue between his teeth just gentle enough not to break the skin. Ulana whimpers as Charkov chains her wrists to the bed frame. She knows what is coming. Ulana begins to mentally blackout the experience. She goes deep within her own mind, to something of a mind palace. She thinks about her many conversations with Valery, remembering his soothing voice. Her thoughts were on Valery as Charkov inserted himself within her and proceeded to thrust and thrust, his hands wandering over her body, squeezing her breasts extremely hard as he comes inside of her, causing Ulana to whimper as he fills her with his disgusting swimmers and DNA. 

Weeks passed and Ulana was fed very little and kept dehydrated. This made her extremely easy to manipulate for Charkov, who returned every few days to fill her with his seed. One day, Charkov returned, a satisfied grin on his face. A young man had been sent in a few hours earlier with a medical bag. He proceeded to take some blood from Ulana and examine her. Charkov smiled as he sat on the edge of Ulana’s bed. 

“I am here to congratulate you, Comrade. Well, really it is my swimmers that should be congratulated. I knew one of them would reach one ou four beautiful eggs eventually” he says, placing his hand on Ulana’s belly.

Ulana looked up at Charkov, wide-eyed, suddenly extremely nauseous. She was pregnant with the child of one of the most horrific men she had ever met. She could not hold it back and leaned over the edge of the bed, proceeding to vomit on the floor. Charkov smiled as one of his goons came in, Ulana was moved to a nicer room and Charkov followed them. He sat on her bedside and proceeded to make her drink a thick and creamy, sweet drink. Which made her feel extremely fuzzy and happy. It was obviously drugged. She was out of it for a few days, but they, slowly, began to feed her a bit more and keep her hydrated. Week by week, Charkov would come to check on Ulana and see how she was doing. All of the time with him, Ulana blacked out in her mind. The KGB would photograph Ulana and Charkov, sending the pictures to Valery, which constantly broke his heart. Her baby belly seemed to appear out of nowhere. The soft curve of her growing belly protruding from under her dress. Her breasts had begun to swell, and they sagged with the added weight. Every once in awhile, Charkov would come in and sexually assault Ulana, feeling up her soft body, especially fond of her growing breasts. Her belly seemed to grow quickly, making moving around rather difficult toward the end of her pregnancy. As she neared her 36th week of pregnancy, Ulana could not stand for long. She had become extremely weak from lack of nourishment and waddling around seemed to drain her energy extremely quickly. That week Charkov came in and sat beside her on the bed, rubbing her belly and talking to his child. Ulana continued to tune him out, up until the pictures. She looked into the camera, sitting in a plush chair as Charkov stood beside her, his hand resting on her massive belly as he stared into the camera, smiling sadistically. He looked normal, but Ulana looked horrible. Besides he swollen belly, Ulana looked extremely thin and pale. Her hair had thinned and was immensely grey.

After the photos, Ulana weakly stood up and began to waddle back to her cell, followed by a KGB agent recording her with a camera. He shouted at her, barking at her to keep moving as Ulana leaned against the wall, whimpering softly as she clutched her belly. Ulana looked at him as if to plea at first, but then she collapsed to her knees. She groaned loudly, clutching her stomach, fluid and blood surging from between her legs. She looked into the camera, a sharp look in her eyes as if looking into the viewer’s soul. Then the camera was thrown aside as the agent rushed to Ulana’s side. The tape cuts there.

After that, Ulana was rushed to a nearby hospital. She is extremely out of it from blood loss. Of course, Charkov arrives at the hospital soon after. He paces the halls, awaiting news of Ulana and his child. The doctors perform a cesarean section in an attempt to save Ulana and the baby, but they were unsuccessful. Ulana died from blood loss and complications of anemia, and the baby, a boy, died of complications of the radiation Ulana had absorbed in Chernobyl. Despite his sadistic nature and cold soul, Charkov cried that day. He had fallen for Ulana subconsciously. And, of course, he was deeply shaken by the death of the son he had always wanted. The many pictures that were taken of Ulana, during her captivity, were sent to Valery, along with the short video of her. After watching the video, Valery looked out his window down to the street. Standing out there, staring up at him was Charkov, in his funeral suit. They exchanged a somber look before Charkov entered a black car and disappeared. Valery knew, he would never see Ulana again, for she was now gone forever.


	9. After All This Time?

The Kurchatov Institute, pre-Chernobyl  
Valery is in his late thirties and Ulana is around thirty-five   
-  
Valery had just finished giving a lecture and was walking through the halls. He often went out on his breaks, enjoying the fresh air, and of course, getting coffee. As he rounded a corner a small figure bumped into him, she was running rather fast as she rounded the corner. She was young, maybe around five or six. She was very cute. She had beautiful ginger hair and thick, defined eyebrows, and a petite nose. Her lips thin and rosy, and Valery could not help but stare into her eyes. Those beautiful blue, doe shaped, eyes, much like the ones that had been burned into his memory all those years ago. The little girl hastily got up and picked up the ratty stuffed bear that she had been carrying, quickly apologizing to Valery before continuing her run down the hall. A smile spread across Valery's face. He had always loved children. He found them to be extremely adorable, and he had always wanted one of his own, but there was only one woman he wanted to bear his child, and he had not heard from her in years, not since their jobs had separated them.  
As Valery turns to glance at the little girl again, he catches a glimpse of a woman. He only saw the back of her head, but the way she held herself, the way her silky brown hair sat, reminded him of the woman he had loved all those years ago.  
He shook his head and turned around. 'No, it couldn't be. She was in Minsk.` He thought to himself as he turned and continued down the hallway.   
It was a beautiful spring day out and the streets were not too busy. Valery walked a few blocks to a little cafe and proceeded to order a coffee, as per usual. He made his way back to the institute, coffee in hand, but he could not shake the image of that little girl from his mind. As he entered the institute and continued to his lab, Valery passed by the woman and the little girl. He stopped dead. 'It couldn't be her… there was no way' he thought as he caught a glimpse of the woman's face.  
"Ulana…" he mumbled, looking at her, not expecting her to hear him.   
She stopped suddenly and looked back at him with wide-eyed. Valery felt the half-full cup of coffee slip from his hand and tumble to the ground. A knot had formed in his throat and he suddenly found it hard to breathe. It was obvious that the same had happened to Ulana, for she stood there, her mouth slightly opened as the little girl tugged at her sleeve.   
"Valera…" She mumbled after a moment, obviously flooded with emotions.  
Valery stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her. The familiar scent of orchids filling his nose. Ulana leaned against him, wrapping her arms around him tightly. They stood in silence for a few moments before parting.  
"And who is this?" Valery asks, smiling down at the little girl who had ducked behind Ulana to hide.  
"My daughter, Katerina," Ulana says, gently coaxing the girl to come out.  
Valery looks at her, his eyes wide and mouth extremely dry.  
"S-so you have a family… now…" he says, stumbling over his words.  
"No… it is just Katja and myself," Ulana says softly, smiling down at her daughter.  
"Why don't you say hello to professor Legasov?" She says, bending down to speak to Katerina.   
The little girl clutches her stuffed bear tightly, her face red as she buries it in the stuffed animal's matted fur. It was obvious that she had likely had the stuffed bear for years.  
"Hi…" she squeaks, her voice muffled.  
Valery smiles a little.  
"Hello," he says softly, looking from Ulana to Katja.   
He pauses for a moment, wondering who the girl's father is.   
"D-do you still speak with her father?" Valery asked, his voice quivering again.   
He wanted to know, yet he clenched his jaw in anticipation. Somewhat dreading Ulana's answer.  
Ulana smiles and bites her lip for a moment.  
"You want to know the truth?" She says softly, her blue eyes gazing up at Valery.  
He nods, the anticipation building in him.  
"I am speaking to him right now…" she says softly, a cheeky grin curling her lips.  
Valery's lips part slightly as he looks at Ulana wide-eyed.  
"I-I am?…" he began, but he is silenced as Ulana nods.  
Valery smiles, his legs trembling as he is overwhelmed with emotion.  
"Why didn't you tell me?" He whispers, lost in Ulana's beautiful eyes, almost hurt that he hadn't known about Katja.  
"I-I called and called… I even wrote you letters… you never answered and I didn't have time to return to Moscow…" She says.  
They are standing face to face now, only a few centimetres apart. Valery gently takes her hand in his, before pulling her into another hug. He was overwhelmed with emotions. His love for Ulana seemed to seep from his pores. He had always loved her, but now, after finding out she was the mother of his child, his love for her increased exponentially. Though he thought he should be irritated, Valery could not bring himself to be angry at the woman he loved. As he pulled away, he looked down at her face and planted a soft kiss on her lips.   
"Why don't you come back to my apartment with me? Surely you are exhausted after the long ride from Minsk" he says softly.   
Ulana hesitates for a moment, looking down at Katja before nodding.  
The little girl was extremely shy, but she absolutely adored Sasha, Valery's cat. She sat on the floor, playing with fluffy cat toys, her stuffed bear sitting in her lap.  
Ulana and Valery sat on the sofa and talked. Ulana told him everything, about her job in Minsk, finding out she was pregnant a few months after leaving Moscow, her desperate attempts to contact him.  
He sat quietly and soaked it all in before taking Ulana in his arms.   
"Now that I have you back, I never want to let you go…" he whispers, thinking back to the last time he had held her all those years ago. They had been laying in his bed, both completely indisposed. Her skin had been so soft and he remembered tracing his finger over her beautiful curves.  
Ulana chuckled a little and looked up at him.   
"Well… that might be a problem," she says, grinning up at him, "we would never be able to get anything done"   
Valery cannot help but laugh, getting lost in her beautiful eyes once more.   
"Why don't you move in here… I have more than enough room… then we could be… we could be a family" he says, genuinely wanting her at his side for the remainder of his days.   
Ulana sighs and looks around the apartment, a small smile curling her lips.   
"I suppose we could make something work… I would have to transfer to the Moscow institute…" she mumbled, thinking out loud.   
It took only a few weeks for Ulana to move in. Katja had opened up to Valery, quickly taking a liking to him. He was very good with her, carrying her on his shoulders as they walked down the street, and making sure she got a bedtime story every night. After a few nights in the apartment, Katja began to crawl into bed between Ulana and Valery every night in the midst of the night, desperately wanting to be close to her parents, often laying on Valery's chest. The only alone time the adults got was in the bathroom when bothering were frantically trying to get ready in the morning. It seemed like something out of a dream to Valery. His whole life had changed in the span of a few weeks. He now had a family to share his love with and a woman who understood everything thought that left his lips. His many wishes had been granted, he finally had Ulana back at his side, and she had brought along the daughter he had always imagined. Valery's dreams were plagued with happiness, and the thoughts of their family and the winding path that lay ahead, full of possibilities.


	10. All I Ever Need

It is late December, only a few days before the new year. It had been snowing for what seemed like days on end. Ulana was far along in her pregnancy, and she has just started her 36th week. Her feet have long disappeared from view and he waistline seems to be ever-expanding. She is never on her feet for too long, for simply standing for more than a few minutes causes her feet and ankles to swell up more than they already are. Standing also causes her back and pelvis to ache from the sheer weight of her massive baby bump. Valery cannot help but giggle when he sees Ulana on her feet. Her stomach looks like someone stuffed a small beach ball inside of her and inflated it. She is far from intimidating when he sees her waddling down the hall from their bedroom, her lower belly peeking out from beneath an old shirt of his that she has resorted to wearing to bed, for none of the nightgowns, including the maternity ones, fit comfortably over her belly. It is difficult for her to find anything comfortable, especially now that the skin on her stomach has stretched so tightly over her expanding uterus, for it has become a bit sensitive to the touch. Her breasts have also swollen to a rather massive size, now somewhere between a doubled and a tripled cup size. She has also gotten a bit pudgy due to a constant craving for sweets. Of course, her soft and curvy body drives Valery quite mad. He loves her soft, thick thighs that would most definitely rub together if Ulana was not waddling. He has also become quite accustomed to her soft love handles and voluptuous bottom. Cuddling has most definitely moved to the top of the list regarding Valery's favourite things. He always enjoyed laying down beside her on the sofa, even if there was hardly any room, and cuddling her. He loved to hold her in his arms and feel the warmth that radiated off of her.   
Over the past few days, Ulana had been feeling a bit ill. She had started off sniffling, now she had almost completely lost her voice. She had also developed a high fever and chills. She had spent her morning laying on the sofa, curled up beneath a large fluffy blanket that she had pulled up to her nose. She sniffled as Valery walked into the room. He smiled a little and knelt down beside her, planting a soft kiss on her forehead. She was extremely warm. Her skin was flushed a deep pink and she looked up at Valery, her eyes watering a bit.  
"Looks like someone is still sick" Valery mumbles, gently caressing her cheek.  
Ulana simply smiles a little, and nods. She readjusts slightly, nuzzling her head against her pillow. Valery smiles pitifully, almost wishing it was him who was sick and not her.   
Her hair was damp from the cold sweat she was in, and a few strands were stuck to her face. Valery gently brushes them away before standing up. He wanders into the kitchen and silently begins making breakfast. He starts off by making Ulana a rather large cup of hot tea with ginger and honey. He meets it cool a bit, smiling as he hears her footsteps dragging as she makes her way to the table. She sits down, wearing a massive nightgown and wrapped up in one of the blankets she had been snoozing beneath. Her swollen belly rests gently on her legs and her breasts sag to gently rest on her belly. She adjusts her hips in the chair, which creaks a little before she leans back against the back of the chair. Valery walks over and gently places the large mug of tea in front of Ulana, who smiles a little at him before taking the mug. Valery watches her take a sip before going back to making their breakfast. He returns minutes later with two bowls of oatmeal and some syrupy fruit that he had made with frozen fruit and some sugar. Ulana had dozed off, her cup of tea sitting before her, still warm, and half-drunk. Her arm rested on the table and her head laid upon it. Valery smiled a little as he placed the bowl of oatmeal before her.   
"Someone must not have gotten much sleep last night…" he mumbled as he gently placed his hand on Ulana's shoulder.   
Slowly, she opened her eyes to look up at him. She rolled her head to the side a bit and drowsily rand her hand down the side of her swollen belly as she sat up.   
"Sorry…" she mumbled as she picked up her mug.  
Valery chuckled a little and planted a kiss on the top of her head.   
"There is nothing to be sorry for" he whispered as he wrapped one of his arms around her.  
Valery pulled up a chair so he could sit beside her, allowing Ulana to lean against him. She sipped her tea quietly as she leaned her head against Valery's shoulder. He allowed his hand to rest on the small of her back. He gently rubbed his hand over her back as she cuddled against him. She ate quietly, shuddering a bit from the chills that plagued her. Valery hummed quietly, a sweet melody that he could remember his grandmother humming when she was cooking or baking. It was one of the few things he could recall from the time spent with her. He also recalled his mother humming a similar melody when he would refuse to sleep as a young child. A slight movement against him brought him back to reality, hiding the memories back beneath what naturally swirled through Valery's mind. He looked down at Ulana she had eaten a bit of her oatmeal, but it looked as though she was a bit nauseous. Valery gently places his hand on the top of her belly and caressed it with his thumb.  
"You really mustn't be feeling well," he said as she laid against him, her head on his shoulder.   
Ulana shook her head and shuddered as the food she had just eaten threatened to come back up. Valery held her and gently rocked back and forth, trying to soothe her nausea. Ulana closed her eyes and sighed, cuddling Valery tightly. Her body pressed up against him. After a few moments, Valery gently picked her up and managed to carry her back to the sofa, stumbling a bit at first. He gently placed her on the sofa, propping up her head on a few pillows. He smiled a little and kissed her forehead before covering her with a blanket.   
"I'm going to clean up the kitchen a little… then if you are feeling up to it, we can have a bath" he said softly, smiling as he looked down into her eyes. She was extremely drowsy and her eyes were half opened as she smiled up at him.   
"Alright," she mumbled, her voice raspy and soft.   
Valery planted another gentle kiss on her temple before returning to the kitchen. He quickly ate his breakfast before beginning to wash the dishes. As he scrubbed the pot he had used, he could hear faint snoring in the next room. He smiled a little as he realized Ulana had fallen back asleep. Valery quietly dried all of the dishes before putting them away. He took a moment to look around the pristinely clean kitchen before returning to Ulana's side.  
As he entered the living room, Valery saw Ulana curled up on the sofa, cuddling one of Valery's pillows that he had given her. She was facing the back of the sofa, her knees brought up as far as she could get them. Her arms holding his pillow against her upper body, her nose pressing against the top of the pillow. Valery could not help but smile as he saw her. Somehow, he managed to lay down behind her on the edge of the sofa. He wrapped one of his arms around her, placing it on her upper belly and holding her tightly. Ulana moans a little in her sleep and squeezes the pillow a bit tighter, giving Valery a bit more room on the sofa. Valery cuddled against her gently caressing her upper belly with his thumb. She seemed to radiate heat, her fever extremely high.   
Hours passed, Valery continued to cuddle her gently as she slept. He gently rubbed her belly, feeling only slight movements from the child that resided within her. This was a bit worrisome, for normally their child moved about quite a lot. Valery just assumed that the little one was not feeling well, much like Ulana. He assumed that her fever must have been making their little bean quite lethargic. Ulana stirred softly, holding Valery's pillow tightly as she coughed a little. As her coughing fit ended she looked up at Valery drowsily.   
"Would you get me some tea?" She mumbled weakly.   
Valery nodded and planted a soft kiss on her cheek.   
"Of course, my love, anything for you" he whispers before getting up.   
Ulana readjusted a little, gently rubbing the side of her belly before deciding to get up. She dragged her feet as she waddled to the bathroom, stumbling a little as she walked down the hallway. She returned a few minutes later to see Valery sitting on the sofa, holding a mug of tea. Ulana smiled a little and sat beside him. It was just past noon now and Ulana had, still, hardly eaten anything. She sat down on the sofa beside Valery, gratefully taking the large mug of ginger tea with honey from him. She leaned up against him, propping her feet up on the coffee table as she slowly sipped the warm, dark, caramel coloured, liquid in her mug. It slowly filled her stomach and soothed her throat. Valery wrapped his arm around her and gently ran his hand over her side. Ulana laid her head on his shoulder and smiled up at him.   
"Thank you…" she mumbled, cuddling against him.   
Valery could not help but smile as he looked down at her.  
"There is no need to thank me, Lana. Even if we hadn't taken vows to one another, I would still take care of you… because you are my beautiful little lady" he said softly, leaning down and kissing her lips.   
He placed his other hand on her belly, smiling down at her. She was his everything, and he would do absolutely anything for her. That's why he married her after all. Ulana smiled lethargically and leaned against him. She was so warm, and her nightgown was a bit damp from the cold sweats that came and went.   
They cuddled for a few hours, Valery telling her stories from his childhood. Many of which he had not thought about in years. As five in the evening approached, Ulana got up to stretch. Valery stood up behind her and placed his hands on her sides.   
"How about I draw up a bath?" He says softly as she leans back against him.   
Ulana looked up at him, a drowsy smile on her face.   
"That sounds nice" she mumbled, pressing her butt against him as she leans forward a little.  
Valery smiled and wrapped his arms around her, planting soft kisses in the crook of her neck. Ulana sighed and closed her eyes, leaning back against him. Valery kissed her cheek and held her in his arms for a moment before heading to the bathroom. He begins drawing them a warm bath before returning to Ulana's side and helping her to the bathroom. She is extremely out of it, disoriented and tired. Valery smiles a little as she looks at him in the mirror, watching as he helps her to undress. Valery gently pulls off her nightgown before removing her underwear. She stands there for a moment before turning to him and wrapping her arms around him, leaning against him.  
"Lana I need to get undressed" Valery coos softly, gently stroking her messy hair.   
Ulana simply moans in response, taking a moment before letting go of him.   
Once Valery manages to get undressed, he gently helps Ulana into the bath before climbing in behind her. He allows her to lean back against him as she sits between his legs. He gently wraps his arms around her, feeling her relax against him. Gently, Valery began to wash her hair, slathering it with the sweet, orchid scented shampoo she always used. He smiled and she slouched down so her head rested against his chest and her belly barely poked out from under the water. Valery gently rinsed the shampoo from her hair before beginning to the condition it. Ulana groaned a little as she readjusted her hips to move the weight of the baby a little. Valery gently reached his arms around her and placed his hands on either side of her belly, holding Ulana against him. Ulana tilted her head to look up at him, it was obvious she wasn't feeling well. Valery gently rinsed the conditioner from her hair before cuddling her a little. She whimpered softly, shifting to lay on her side, her head resting on his chest, just above the water. Valery wrapped his arms around her, holding her quietly as he swayed gently from side to side. They spent a few minutes like this until Ulana was feeling a bit better. Once she had shifted back to a somewhat sitting position, Valery began to drain the bathwater, and he helped Ulana out of the bath. Once she had her footing on the bath mat, Valery wrapped her in a plush towel. She shuddered a little, her whole body trembling. Valery gently helped her dry off before pl pulling on a clean, silky nightgown that flowed loosely over her body. Ulana slowly began to waddle out to the living room as Valery dried off and got dressed in some clean pyjamas. As he dried his hair, he heard a loud yell from the living room. Valery sprang into action, fearing Ulana had fallen or worse, but he found that she had simply stubbed her toe on the coffee table. He sighed and looked at her as she stood there, biting her lip.  
"Sorry…" she mumbled, knowing she had given him quite the fright.   
Valery simply wrapped his arms around her, planting a passionate kiss on her lips.   
"It's okay…" he whispers, holding her close as his heart slowly stops racing.  
She leans up against him and wraps her arms around him tightly. She was still extremely warm and cuddly. Valery smiled a little and gently rubbed her back, causing her to moan softly. Her poor back had been subjected to the torture of carrying the weight of her swollen belly. Valery continued, pressing his thumbs into her lower back and rubbing them in soft circles as Ulana rocked back and forth on her feet. They stood there for a few moments before Ulana plopped down on the sofa, laying back down.  
It was not very late, but Valery could tell that she was exhausted. He helped her get comfortable before wrapping her in a thick wool blanket. He sat at her feet, going over some work documents as the sun began to set, filling the room with dusty orange light. He glanced over at Ulana as he heard her mumble something between her soft snores. Valery could not help but smile as he realized she was dreaming. He watched her for a few more moments before returning to his work, hoping that she was having a good dream.   
As he worked, Ulana and their child never left his thoughts. They always seemed to be floating about in his subconscious. He just wanted them to be happy and safe. That was all he could ever ask for.


	11. Quality Time

Valana AU Oneshot  
Ulana is 29  
Valery is 32  
\---  
It was around three-thirty in the morning. Ulana was snoring softly, laying beside Valery, who had one of his arms wrapped around her. She had gotten very little sleep, plagued by what ails any expectant mother, an almost constant need to pee. Ulana was roused by a slight wiggling from beside her and then something hard being pressed uncomfortably against her ribs.   
"Valery, you're elbowing me…" Ulana mumbles without opening her eyes.   
"It's not me…" Valery grumbles in response.  
Ulana opens her eyes slightly and looks down.  
She smiles a little as she sees the outline a ratty head of ginger hair. It, in fact, was not Valery who had woken her. It was their daughter Ekaterina, or Katja. They also often called her bear or little bear. She was just over three years old now. She had crawled into bed between Valery and Ulana and proceeded to nuzzle her head against Ulana's ribcage. Not that she didn't already have a little one lodged up near her ribcage all day. Ulana gently wrapped her arm around Katja, gently patting her back.  
"Someones up early…" she mumbled, her voice still gravely from having been asleep.   
The little girl giggled and cuddles against her mother even more. Ulana readjusted a little and used her other hand to rub the side of her belly. She was just over 20 weeks along, but this was not like her first pregnancy, for this time, she was carrying multiples. They had found out a few weeks earlier, but Ulana had been speculating that there was more than one baby for weeks. She sighed and looked over at Valery, who had his arm wrapped around both of his girls. She could see his eyes glimmering in the darkness.   
"Bathroom?" Valery whispers as Ulana sighed frustratedly.  
"You guessed it…" Ulana mumbles as she manages to crawl out of bed before making her way down the hall to their bathroom.   
She took a moment to look into the mirror, looking over her body. It was odd to see her belly protruding out from beneath her silky nightgown. She was studying her swollen stomach, remembering the last time she had been this size.  
When she returned to the bedroom, Ulana found that Katja had stolen her spot in bed. Ulana smiled a little and picked up the little girl, moving her over a little before laying down beside her. Ulana laid on her side and wrapped her arm around the small being laying in front of her. Katja cuddled up against Ulana, wrapping her arms around her mother. Ulana smiled tiredly, managing to scoot back into her spot in the bed. She can see Valery smiling a little as he turns to face her and wraps his arm around them.   
"You're both so warm… and cuddly..." he mumbled, gently caressing Ulana's side with his thumb.   
Ulana smiles and leans forward, kissing him softly. It seemed like the last time they had cuddled like this was ages ago now, though it was only a few days prior. Katja squirmed a little, cuddling Ulana tighter. Ulana smiled drowsily and gently rubbed her back after she had pulled the blankets back up over them. Katja had, once again, nuzzled her head up against Ulana's ribcage. Ulana sighed and closed her eyes, practically praying for another ounce of sleep. She dozed off rather quickly, for the room seemed to quickly fill with her soft snoring. Valery could not help but smile as he cuddled his girls, feeling extremely lucky in that particular moment.   
A few hours passed and Ulana was roused by someone kicking her. She looked down to see Katja squirming slightly in her sleep. She sighed and wrapped her arms around the little figure, planting a soft kiss on her forehead.   
"Shhhh… it's an okay bear, it's only a dream" she mumbled as the little girl calms down and snuggles against her.   
She buried her face against her mother's breast, holding onto Ulana tightly. Ulana gently stroked Katja's hair, humming a soft and sweet melody. Valery opened his eyes a little, glancing down at Ulana.   
"Nightmare?" He grumbles, wrapping his arm around Ulana.   
Ulana nods and smiles tiredly.   
"I think it is over now…" she whispers scooting Katja and herself closer to Valery.  
Valery gently rubbed Ulana's back as he looked down at their daughter, sandwiched between them. They cuddled for a few moments before a small fluffy ball jumped up onto the bed. It was Sasha, their cat.  
Valery and Ulana had adopted Sasha just before they found out Ulana was pregnant with Katja. Valery had tried to get rid of the, then, kitten, but Ulana would not have it, for she somehow knew Sasha would do very well with their baby. Sasha had put up with loads of tail pulling and grabbing, as well as being dragged around like a stuffed animal. She was a wonderful companion for the two adults, and she simply put up with their child, allowing the little girl to drag her around and poke and prod at her.  
Ulana smiled a little and reached down toward the end of the bed, and Sasha waltzed up to her hand, allowing Ulana to let her. The cat mowed softly, rubbing up against Ulana's soft thighs. She began to purr loudly, obviously ready for breakfast. Ulana glanced over at the alarm clock and sighed. It was just past six.   
"I'll come to feed you in a bit…" Ulana grumbles as she goes back to cuddling Katja.   
Ulana stuck to her word, and a few minutes later, she was waddling down the hall, Sasha following at her heels. She stumbled a little, tripping over the cat as she turned to return to the bedroom. Ulana yelped as she fell onto the ground. It was as if he had heard a scream, Valery was running down the hall to Ulana.   
"I'm fine Valera… I was just tripped up by the cat" Ulana says as she gets up.   
"Are you sure? Are the babies alright?" Valery says worriedly, looking her over closely.   
"Valery I caught myself. I am fine, I just his my knee" Ulana says, shaking her head a little.  
"Maybe we should go to the doctor just to be sure," Valery says nervously.  
Ulana shook her head and took both of his hand, placing them on her belly.   
"Valera your kids are fine. They are moving around as we speak" Ulana says, looking up at him, a slight smile on her face.  
Valery sighs and holds his hands on her belly, still worried sick about her. Every little peep she makes draws his attention. He is constantly worried about her and their babies. He cannot help it, his heart aches for them, and he would do anything for his family.   
"Why don't you start making breakfast, and I will get our little bear showered and ready for daycare," Ulana says softly, looking up at him, her belly pressing against him.   
"Alright…" Valery mumbles, holding onto her for a few moments.   
Ulana kisses him softly before wandering back down the hall to their room. A few moments later, she is carrying a drowsy Katja into the bathroom. Valery smiled a little as Ulana raised her eyebrows at him, smiling. The bathroom door closes behind her and she can be heard trying to get Katja undressed. The little girl protested a little before finally getting undressed. Ulana helped her into the shower and gently began washing her beautiful ginger hair. Around thirty minutes later, Katja emerged from the bathroom, in a clean flower print dress and leggings, her beautiful ginger hair, still wet, done back in a beautiful braid. Ulana slowly followed, still in her nightgown. Valery smiled a little as he watched Katja running about the living room as Ulana made her way to the sofa. Katja chased Sasha around and proceeded to play with some of her toys as Valery prepared some breakfast.   
"Come on girls, breakfast is ready" Valery calls as he carries their food over to the table. Katja comes running and bounds into her seat. Ulana follows more slowly, waddling over to the table. Valery smiles as he places a cup of tea beside Ulana's food before sitting down. Ulana takes a sip and smiles.  
"Earl grey, strong… just the way I like it…" she mumbled.   
Valery nods as he glances at their daughter, who has a glass of milk beside her. She had taken a few sips of it as she quickly ate her eggs and pancakes.   
"Slow down a little bear, or you'll make yourself sick" Ulana mumbles as she sips her tea.  
"But momma…" Katja says, just wanting to play.   
Ulana gives her a stern look, and Katja sighs, knowing she can't argue with her mother.   
Valery and Ulana finish their breakfast in peace as Katja continues to play in the living room.   
Valery took Katja to the state-sponsored daycare around eight, leaving Ulana to clean up all of the dishes. Ulana then proceeds to take a hot shower. As she is getting undressed she hears their front door close.   
"Lana?" Valery's voice calls.  
"I'm about to shower" Ulana calls back.  
She can hear Valery's footsteps approaching, and he quietly enters the bathroom.  
"Why wasn't I invited?" He says, leaning in the doorway, his glasses fogging up a bit from the steam.   
"You are more than welcome to join me I suppose," Ulana says, glancing at him.  
Valery smiles and closes the bathroom door behind him, proceeding to wrap his arms around her.  
"You know I am always more than happy to join you" he mumbled, planting some soft kisses on her shoulder and neck.  
Ulana smiled and turned around, proceeding to unbutton the shirt he had thrown on before leaving the apartment. Valery gently picked her up and placed her on the bathroom counter holding her waist as she pushed back his shirt.   
"You are so beautiful… did I ever tell you how beautiful you are?" Valery mumbles, looking up at her, entranced by her beauty.  
"Yes, about every day" Ulana replies, blushing a little.  
Once they are both undressed, Ulana steps into the shower followed by Valery. He stands behind her, holding her against him as she washes her body. Her skin was so soft and all Valery wanted was to cuddle her. Valery smiled as she turned to face him, gently wrapping her arms around his neck. She looked extremely tired, but a beautiful smile spread across her face as she looked up at him, wetting her hair. She then leaned forward and leaned against his chest, pressing her body against his. They stood there for a few moments before proceeding to shower. They did not need to exchange words to know what the other was thinking. Their immense love for one another seemed to hang in the air.  
Once they had finished, Valery helped Ulana to dry off before drying off himself. He followed her to the bedroom, where she flopped down onto their bed, obviously exhausted. Valery smiled a little as he followed her and laid down beside her, both still undressed. Ulana shimmied over to him and wrapped her arm around him, laying her head on his chest.   
"Don't you have work today?" Ulana mumbled as she glanced up at him.  
"I called in this morning after you fell," Valery says, gently rubbing her back.  
Ulana squints at him, going silent for a moment.   
"You called Dimitri and pressured him into telling you if I was working today or not, didn't you?" Ulana asks, almost as if interrogating him.  
Valery's face turns bright red and he nods, looking away.  
"Valery Aleksevich I swear…" Ulana says, glaring at him.   
"I wanted to spend the day with you, just us" he mumbles, smiling down at her innocently.   
Ulana sighs and looks up at him, shaking her head as she climbs on top of him, sitting on his stomach.   
"You better make me dessert tonight after dinner…" she says, grinning down at him.   
Valery chuckles as he places his hands on her waist.  
"I can give you dessert right now…" Valery teases, rolling her over and pressing her into the bed.  
"I won't protest if you do," Ulana says, giggling a little as she wraps her legs around him.   
They spend a few hours making love, for it had been quite a while since they had any proper alone time. By the end, Ulana's face is flushed and she is quite out of breath, wrapping her arms around Valery as he buries his face in her breasts.   
"I... love you... so much" Valery mumbles as he plants soft kisses on Ulana's chest.   
"I love you more" Ulana moans as she holds Valery tightly.  
They cuddle for a while before proceeding to get dressed. Ulana lounges around the apartment, going over some work documents as she lays across the sofa, her head resting in Valery's lap as he grades some essays. Their day is fairly relaxed, they both go to pick up Katja from daycare, a little early, around three in the afternoon, just after Ulana finished taking a nap.  
They proceed to take Katja to a nearby park. Ulana and Valery sit side by side, cuddling on a park bench as they watch Katja running around, making friends, and proceeding to get dirty. Ulana sighs as Katja runs up to her, covered in patches of dirt. She proceeds to hold up a large beetle, proudly showing her mother the squirming bug.   
"Wow bear, isn't he cool?" Ulana says, taking the bug from Katja.   
Katja allows her mother to hold the bug for a few moments before taking it back to release it. Ulana smiles, knowing she and Valery must be doing at least something right.  
They spend only a few hours at the park before heading back to their apartment. Ulana instantly plops down into the plush recliner chair by the window, elevating her swollen feet. Valery smiles a little as he walks over to her, planting a soft kiss on her lips and gently caressing her belly.  
"I'll clean up the little bear for dinner. You stay here and relax…" he says softly, gently pressing his nose to hers and looking into her eyes.   
Ulana smiles up at him and places her hand on top of his.   
"Good luck…" she mumbled, watching as an overly energetic Katja runs around the coffee table.  
Valery smiles and scoops Katja up in his arms before carrying her into the bathroom, despite her many protests. Ulana chuckles as she listens to Katja, practically howling to be set free. Sasha slinks over to Ulana after jumping down from her favourite spot on top of the bookshelf. The cat gently jumps up onto the chair, crawling onto Ulana's belly and practically demanding to be pet. Ulana smiles and gently scratches behind Sashas ears before pushing the cat over and rubbing her belly, Sasha absolutely adored the attention, especially when it was from either of the adults.   
Almost an hour passed before the bathroom door opened and Katja came sprinting out, in one of her nightgowns. She jumped onto the chair and crawled up next to her mother, Valery slowly followed, drenched in bathwater that had been splashed all over him. He looks absolutely defeated, but at least Katja is clean. Valery walks over and stands beside the chair, looking down at his girls.   
"Did you have fun?" Ulana teases, gently tracing her finger over her belly.  
"Obviously," Valery says grinning at Ulana, "why don't you make a bit of room for me?"   
"Valery I swear, do not get me all wet!" Ulana says, trying to push him away as he climbs in the chair on the other side of Ulana.  
"Gah, Valery you are soaked!" Ulana shouts, squirming in the chair as the water soaks from his clothes into hers.   
Valery giggles, kissing her softly as he presses her against the chair, water dripping from his hair onto her. Ulana is struggling beneath him, furious at him for getting her all wet. Finally, she sighs and gives up, not fighting it anymore, letting him get her soaked.  
"You owe me for his" Ulana growls as he leans down and kisses her passionately.  
"I always pay you back, don't I?" Valery teases, finally allowing Ulana to push him off of her. Ulana rolls her eyes and readjusts in the chair as Valery goes to dry off.   
After drying off, Valery proceeds to make dinner. It does not take long for the savoury aroma of food to draw his girls into the kitchen. Ulana places herself in her normal seat at the table and Katja goes over to Valery's side to see what he is doing. Valery allows Katja to help him carry the food to the table, letting her take Ulana's plate. Ulana gratefully takes her plate, thanking Katja as she watches the little girl streak around the table and hops into her seat. Ulana smiles as she watches Valery place Katja's food in front of her before taking his seat.   
As per usual, Katja tells her parents all about how much fun she had a daycare. She talks about all of the things she learned and the friends she made. It is extremely cute when she begins explaining how she caught a butterfly and learned a new song, which she proceeded to sing for them.  
After dinner, Valery proceeded to wash all of the dishes as Ulana got Katja ready for bed. She sat on the edge of Katja's bed and proceeded to tell her a story. Ulana also sang a beautiful german lullaby, that had been a nightly tradition since Katja was only a few months old. Their neighbour, Petra Wilheim had taught it to Ulana, for Katja had been refusing to sleep. The sweet melody soothed her and most definitely did its job, alongside Ulana's cuddles, lulling Katja to sleep. Once Ulana had successfully gotten Katja to sleep, she wandered to the bedroom, desperately in need of some sleep.  
Not long after she and Valery had gotten comfortable, they were separated by a little squirming mass. It was Katja, she had been having a bad dream and was desperately in need of cuddling. Ulana smiled drowsily as she looked down at her little bear. She smoothed down Katja's hair and proceeded to hum a sweet lullaby for her as Katja laid her head on Ulana's chest.


	12. What is a Life Without You

The early 2000's Valery is in his sixties, Ulana had passed around two years earlier, she had ended up with a heart condition. She had died rather young, having passed in her sleep, cuddled against Valery, weak and on more medications than she could count.  
It was late fall, the weather had just begun getting cold. His eldest daughter, Katerina had come to visit that morning with Valery's grandchildren. Katja was practically a replica of Ulana, except for her brilliant ginger hair. All three of his children did their best to keep him in good spirits, for they knew how desperately Valery missed Ulana.   
For Valery, life had become extremely difficult, and so empty after Ulana had died. It often seemed as if there was nothing important anymore. Often times, Valery found himself working to keep his mind occupied. He would work on his theory and formulas, trying to distract him from the dreadful emptiness that plagued the house. When he wasn't working, Valery often caught himself staring at the many photographs scattered around the house. There was one in particular that he loved. It was a picture from the early sixties. Valery was finishing up his doctoral degree, and Ulana had just finished university. It was early autumn and Ulana was 6 months pregnant with their first child, Katja. Their good friend Mirra had taken the photo. It showed Valery tickling Ulana. They had been posing for the photo outside in a nearby park when he began tickling her, and Mirra had snapped the photo in the midst of the chaos. Ulana had a radiant smile on her face and her mouth was open as she laughed. Her eyes seemed to glimmer and she simply looked radiant. Looking at the photo made Valery realize that he would give anything to go back to those days, to hold his beautiful companion in his arms, to smell her sweet scent one last time. Nowadays, Mirra would come over to keep Valery company. She was a nuclear engineer, and a brilliant one at that, but she made time for Valery. Her sweet tenor voice filled the silence, and Valery was grateful for that. They would often sit on the sofa, talking quietly, both often smoking a cigarette. They talked about work, life, and on occasion family. Mirra had two kids, both boys who left home at an early age, pursuing their dreams, but neither would return home. Her eldest son died in a lab accident, and her younger son died while fighting in the army. She did not talk much about them, especially not any more. Valery did not push her on the topic, knowing how Mirra felt. Sometimes they would talk about Ulana, but Valery would often get distracted, rambling on about his soulmate.   
But today, Mirra would not visit. She would spend the day alone, remembering her son's. So, Valery sat alone on the sofa, a cigarette hanging from his lips as he stared blankly at the many photographs of his family scattered about the small room. Many of them pictured Ulana and himself as a young couple. One from when she finished University. One from when Ulana told Valery she was pregnant. One from late in her pregnancy as she sat on the sofa, a book resting on her belly. One of them and their newborn daughter, just outside the house. So many memories filled each picture, yet Valery could hardly recall some of them. But some memories were so vivid that Valery swore he could relive them. He could recall, in detail, each time Ulana went into labour. But he could not seem to recall the little details. And as he sat there, his cigarette smouldering to ash, Valery wished he would have taken more care to appreciate his time with Ulana, to savour every second he had her in his life, for without her, he did not seem to have much life at all.  
The day went by particularly slow, and Valery found himself struggling to focus. He was writing a book on inorganic chemistry, and not having anyone to bounce ideas off of made it particularly difficult. He kept catching himself talking aloud to himself. Well, he would've been talking to Ulana if she was there with him. That made days like today incredibly painful. He just needed someone to be there with him. Someone to support him. He needed Ulana more than he would ever realize, for his world was not right without her.


	13. In the End

A cool breeze blowing against his back awoke Valery. He opened his eyes, and looked over the figure in front of him, smiling as he saw his lovely Ulana readjust. He could just barely hear her soft snores as he sat up a little, looking around at the beige walls around them. He looked up as he heard gentle footsteps in the hall. A tall figure appeared in the doorway. Valery blinked his eyes to clear his vision, sighing as he recognized Kaia, an old friend from University. They had taken organic chemistry together, long before Valery had met Ulana, and had even dated for a while before going their separate ways. Kaia had gone on to become a midwife, and Valery continued his studies to get a doctoral degree. Kaia being Valery ex had bothered Ulana when they first met, for she was unsure of Kaia's intentions. In the end, Ulana realized that Kaia and Valery had long moved on from their relationship and were happy as friends. Valery had called Kaia a few nights prior because Ulana had been having contractions. Kaia had determined that Ulana was in labour, but things were progressing rather slowly and it seemed that their little one was taking her sweet time making her way out of Ulana. Valery smiled and shared a look with Kaia as he realized that Ulana was finally getting some sleep, for she had been fairly exhausted as of late. He laid his head back on the pillow and scooted closer to Ulana. Valery gently pressed his nose against the crook of Ulana’s neck, taking in the sweet scent that seeped from her skin and hair. He wrapped his arms around her, gently caressing her belly. He heard Kaia's footsteps depart, for she had only come to check in on Ulana before returning to the sofa to lay down. Valery sighed softly, rubbing Ulana's belly as he felt her begin to squirm. A groan began to escape her as she readjusted, feeling her belly become tight as another contraction began. Ulana rolled over and wrapped her arms around Valery, pressing her forehead against Valery's chest. Ulana still hadn't opened her eyes, but she was definitely awake now. Valery smiled and planted a gentle kiss on Ulana's forehead as he rubbed her back. Ulana slowly opened her eyes to look up at him. She looked exhausted but managed a smile as the contraction faded away. Slowly, Ulana began to sit up, rubbing the side of her belly. She was grumbling something barely audible, which made Valery smile a little. He sat up and pulled her against him, allowing her to lean against him. Valery gently rubbed Ulana's side, feeling her shudder against him as she relaxed. Valery looked up as he heard Kaia's footsteps coming down the hallway. She was humming softly as she approached the doorway. Kaia smiled kindly as she entered the room. Slowly, she sat down on the edge of the bed. Ulana groaned and readjusted so Kaia could examine her. Ulana jumped a little as Kaia reached up inside of her to examine her cervix. This makes Valery smile a little as he gently strokes Ulana's hair. Ulana groans softly, glaring at him. Kaia smiles a little and presses on Ulana's belly, determining the position of the baby. Ulana groaned softly, adjusting her hips.   
"What? Is this funny to you two?" She growls.  
"Funny? No, I just think you are adorable…" Valery mumbles, rubbing the side of Ulana's swollen belly.  
"I don't feel very adorable…" Ulana growls, her head laying in Valery's lap.   
Kaia simply smiled and patted Ulana's belly with her soft hand. She knew what Ulana was going through, for she had helped many other mothers go through the same thing. She had experienced many women becoming quite upset and depressed, just wanting to hold their baby in their arms, just wanting their labour to end. Kaia exited the room to go and make some tea, leaving Valery and Ulana alone.   
A few hours passed, Valery cuddled Ulana as she laid on her side, cuddling one of Valery pillows. She was drenched in sweat and Kaia had predicted that within the next day they would finally meet their daughter. Ulana's contractions continued, getting stronger and closer together, but her water still hasn't broken. The tea Kaia had prepared had improved Ulana's mood temporarily, for once it was gone, Ulana went back to laying uncomfortably in bed. A few days before, when she had first received the call, Kaia had encouraged Ulana and Valery to got to the hospital, where Ulana could be helped and given drugs to help her progress, but Ulana had been adamant about not going. There was something about doctors that simply terrified her. So, Kaia had reluctantly agreed to stay with the couple, but she had informed Ulana they if there was an emergency she would be taken to the hospital without a second thought. Ulana reluctantly accepted these terms, for she definitely needed the help Kaia could provide.   
By late afternoon, Ulana was absolutely miserable. She had been in labour for around two days now and the contractions slowly got stronger, and they were finally becoming more regular. Deep down, Ulana knew this was it, the home stretch. Though she was exhausted, starving, and in pain, she was excited to finally get to meet her baby. What little sleep she did get came in the form of small naps between extremely intense contractions. Her water had finally broken just before lunch, and Kaia was keeping Ulana updated on the progress she was making. The young midwife had a voice that commanded respect but was rather soothing at the same time. But her words seemed to go in one ear and out the other every time she examined Ulana. Ulana simply could not focus on anything except the hand examining her cervix.   
As Ulana began to quickly progress, Kaia ushered Valery out into the hall. Though he wanted to stay and support Ulana, he knew this was something he was not meant to be a part of. Ulana's low groans and screams carried through the apartment as she began to push, now desperate to meet her baby. She was exhausted and all she wanted was to hold the life she had created in her arms and finally get some sleep.  
It was not long before Valery heard the loud cries of a baby, he smiled tiredly and stood up from the sofa, wandering down the hall toward the bedroom. The door opened a few minutes later and Kaia stepped aside, revealing Ulana, propped up against many pillows, cradling a pudgy baby girl with brilliant ginger hair and ocean blue eyes. Ulana smiled tiredly at Valery and he couldn't help but smile back. Before he knew it he was standing beside the bed. He sat down and wrapped his arm around Ulana, cuddling her quietly and looking down at their child.   
"She is perfect…" he whispered as he planted a soft kiss on Ulana's forehead.


End file.
